Nokia and Ooredoo Group signed what the infrastructure vendor called a "major framework agreement" covering long-term network development in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.
Under a five-year deal, Nokia will provide mobile broadband infrastructure and professional services to the Qatar-headquartered operator. The agreement covers 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE Advanced (LTE-A) infrastructure and will enable Ooredoo to provide advanced voice and data services in all three markets, a Nokia statement revealed.
Nokia also said the agreement effectively updates a previous deal between the companies. The collaboration was upgraded to include what the company described as "global best practices in terms of delivery and technology for the benefit of both companies."
Ahmed Al-Derbesti, COO of Ooredoo Group, said that the "renewed framework agreement is significant, as it covers the delivery of all the latest technologies and support services" which enables the operator to "further enhance our network capacity and coverage."
Nokia said Ooredoo utilises framework agreements to maintain its competitive edge in markets throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Ooredoo has deployed 4G networks in Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Tunisia, and a 3G network in Algeria. It also operates a 4G network in the Maldives, and a 3G network in Myanmar.
Ashish Chowdhary, EVP and chief business officer at Nokia Networks, said the infrastructure company's "hands-on innovation approach enables mobile broadband networks to deliver gigabytes of personalised data per user per day profitably and securely".
Chowdhary added that Nokia's latest network innovations would enable "Ooredoo to prepare for the huge data demand, and provide high-speed data services with improved network coverage, in addition to clearer voice call services".
The latest infrastructure deal builds on a recently announced deal between Ooredoo Qatar and Nokia covering small cells.
Nokia announced in August that the operator had contracted it to deploy 3G and LTE-compatible small cells throughout the country following a trial in capital Doha.
For more:
- see this Nokia announcement
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